“Lessons Learned” – Survival Trip Challenge

Answering a survival challenge issued by Reallybigmonkey1. This video is an actual account of an early Winter, overnight survival trip that my oldest son (Devin) and I undertook. As part of this challenge, Devin was sent a “mystery” package that he was to take into the field and then open once on location. He had no idea what was in the box prior to opening it once the challenge was underway. The rules were simple: He was allowed to bring a knife of his choosing, a small rucksack, a canteen, and the proper clothing for the conditions. He was to utilize the contents of the package to make a shelter, create and sustain fire, gather water, and acquire food if possible. As a further test, he had to find uses for as many of the items in the box as he could. While it may seem that there was quite alot of gear that he had at his disposal, the conditions he faced were relatively harsh and he had to test his ingenuity as well. All in all, this was a father and son trip to remember!

* While this was an actual in-the-field test of survival skills and ability, safety was paramount. I had full contingency options and capabilities to provide emergency assistance if it became necessary, including radio and cell phone contact to summon help in the event of an emergency. Further, both Devin and myself have years of experience in many outdoor situations and scenarios to draw from. I do NOT recommend or advocate going into any outdoor situation without the proper equipment and knowledge. Nor do either of claim to be anything close to survival experts. The primary reason behind this trip was the same as any other that we have taken… to experience the outdoors, have fun, and learn.

Music Credits:
“Decisions” by Kevin MacLeod @ Incomptech.com
“Windswept” by Kevin MacLeod @ Incomptech.com
“Back To The Wood” by Jason Shaw @ Audionautix.com
* All music used with full permission under the Creative Commons License — Attribution 3.0